Several varieties of compact lighting devices are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,274 (US'274) discloses a “stretchable and contractable [sic] desk lamp” with a “lamp shade . . . pivotally connected [to a] stand.” US'274, abstract. The lighting device disclosed in US'274 must be placed upright and only is capable of directing light toward an area immediately surrounding its stand. US'274, FIG. 3. Another example of a compact lighting device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,226 (US'226). The lighting device disclosed in US'226 includes “a flat thin battery case with laterally spaced battery chambers defining an upwardly opening channel therebetween.” US'226, abstract. The upwardly opening channel “receives an elongate support arm” with a pivot point at one end and a lamp housing at the opposite end. US'226, abstract and FIG. 1. Like the lighting device disclosed in US'274, the lighting device disclosed in US'226 must be placed upright. In addition, the lighting device disclosed in US'226 only is capable of directing light toward an area aligned with its elongate support arm. The lighting devices disclosed in US'274 and US'226 are compact, but they only function as desk lights with limited range.